ONE OF THE MOST HAUNTED HOTELS IN AMERICA

The Hawthorne Hotel is often ranked as one of the most haunted hotels in America. Guests have reported moving furniture, sightings of a ghostly woman, and unexplained noises.

The Hawthorne Hotel officially opened for business with a three-day celebration that took place on July 21, 1925. Such is its well-renowned grandeur that many famous people have elected to stay here, including Johnny Cash, Liza Minnelli, Bette Davis, former president George Bush, Colin Powell, Walter Cronkite, and the cast from the 1970s sitcom “Bewitched”, which also featured the hotel in one of its episodes.

When the Hawthorne opened, it had six floors, 150 rooms, and a main lobby that was two floors high, including a mezzanine and a balcony. In the 1950s, as more people came to own vehicles, the Hawthorne changed its name to the Hawthorne Motor Hotel.

It was during this period that the Hawthorne once again underwent a name change – this time to the Hawthorne Inn. Finally, in 1989, it returned to the name Hawthorne Hotel and has remained so ever since.

With its ballroom ceiling reaching a height of 18 feet and 10 inches, many functions are held here, including weddings. Featuring fine dining and beautiful ballrooms, the Hawthorne Hotel is one of Salem’s finest institutions. Continual upkeep and renovations have earned it a place on the list of Historic Hotels of America by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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Bridget Bishop, the first woman executed during the trials for the practice of witchcraft, was said to have owned an apple orchard upon which this hotel was later built. Many guests maintain that they have encountered her very spirit within the hotel.

In front of the sixth floor’s room 612, the apparition of a woman is often seen standing still. From time to time she will wander up and down the hallway where room 612 is located. Within the room, guests have complained of the sensation that they are not alone; as if someone else is sharing the room with them.

And inside room 325 of the third floor, there have been several reports of hearing an unseen baby crying, lights turning off and on, and even water faucets inexplicably actuating. Others have reported numerous unidentifiable sounds.

Furthermore, visitors have reported experiencing odd sensations near these rooms, as well as hearing actual ghostly voices. Some folks have detected the unexplained smell of apples, perhaps serving as verification that the Hawthorne was built over Bridget’s orchard.

So fabled is the Hawthorne’s haunted history that the SyFy Network’s television series Ghost Hunters visited the hotel in 2007 to film an investigation. And the hotel itself actually held a séance in 1990 to try and contact the spirit of legendary magician, Harry Houdini.

Guests have continually reported furniture moving all on its own, strange sounds and smells, and ghostly sightings. The Hawthorne Hotel is often ranked as one of the most haunted hotels in America, and for good reason.

* Listing information and/or photos were researched on the Internet and provided by a third-party, article or property owner's website and is deemed accurate, but not guaranteed, to the best of our knowledge.